MTFCA Forum

So trying to start my 26 fordor with a holley vaporizer.. it will fire for 3 seconds and shut off.i crank until it seems I am going to have a heart attack. Then after 15 to 30 minutes of this it will stay running. I have no idea why it will stay running other than maybe it gets warm enough to run. I turn the gas open 1 turn or 2 turns doesn't make difference..I think it seems to run out of gas but maybe flooded I dont know. To prime the motor I pull the choke and crank it 4 or 5 complete turns. I know the vaporizer is fussy about gas level in the bowl, I think I have that right. any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated

Firing up and running out the prime and quitting is a classic symptom of lean mixture. I'm not real familiar with vaporizers, but seeing no difference between 1 and 2 turns open is a red flag to me. Something is going on, be it float level or restricted fuel flow, manifold leak, or something else. Hopefully, some one else will have more.

Are you pulling the gas lever down 1/2” to 1” when cranking? Most T’s I have had do not start cold with the gas lever in the “idle” or up position......

Also, Vaporizer carburetors are real finicky about air leaks especially around the heater plate and the air tube. Those areas need to be sealed from pulling in outside air which creates a lean mixture.

Next time you try to start pull the choke out a bit, not all the way, and hold it there once the car starts and see if the car keeps running. If it does you know you are too lean. My '27 did that. Float level was too low. I eventually switched to an NH as I like to hand crank and the vaporizer was hard to start on the crank without spinning it even after I raised the float level. For some reason it would start right up using the starter but either way I had to give it partial choke for a minute or so to keep it running. When using the starter I would crank it over with full choke for a few revolutions then let the choke rod back so it was still half way out. The car would start right up and I would hold the choke rod out that way, advance the spark, and let the choke rod go as soon as the engine smoothed out. I went though 3 vaporizer carburetors before switching to the NH and each one had it's own quirks. I know some people swear by them but I think more people swear at them.

This may have nothing to do with it, but be sure you have the right drain valve body. Part # 6291 on the vaporizer is not the same as the NH. Dan

Ok thanks that gives me some things to check.. how do I check for an air leak around the heat plate ? And how would I seal a leak around the heat plate ?

Larry e rutt wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 19, 2019 3:01 pm

Ok thanks that gives me some things to check.. how do I check for an air leak around the heat plate ? And how would I seal a leak around the heat plate ?

Once you get it started and it will idle, you can shoot a little carb cleaner or propane from a torch around the intake and see if and where the idle changes.

Ok thanks much